A concerned citizen called Pincher Creek Fish and Wildlife yesterday to inform them that a moose was tangled on a fence 15 kilometres south west of Pincher Creek.
Local Fish and Wildlife officers were unable to respond to the call as they were attending a training course up north, so they contacted local RCMP to check out the call. On Thursday, February 7 at approximately 4:30 pm Constable Doug Sokoloski and Axilliary Constable Mel Massini went out to attend to the situation. Sokoloski was formally a Fish and Wildlife Officer working in the MD of Pincher Creek and Massini has been a volunteer with Pincher Creek RCMP for 34 years, clocking in 15,000 hours, according to Sokoloski.
The officers went to the area, but didn't see the animal at first. They discovered the moose trapped in a fence that intersected another fence that ran along the roadway. "It was about 150 feet off the main road down in a draw, so I didn't see it," Sokolowski said.
"There she was, struggling to get out, and she was struggling. It's hard to say how long she'd been there," said Sokoloski. It appeared to the officers that the moose tried to walk over the fence and got tangled up on the top two wires. "I walked over and calmed her down a bit. I just wanted to help the poor thing. I was concerned with the poor animal yanking, and yanking," said Sololoski, who used wire cutters to cut the fence and free the animal.
Sokoloski was happy with the outcome. "She walked away, and didn't appear to have a limp, just a couple of scratches on her lower leg. Away she went. She just walked off into the bush. It turned out good. I think she said 'Thank you', in some way."
If she didn't say, 'Thank you', then I'll say it for her, and for all of us here reading this as well. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteAgreed John to the Thank You from all of us. A great job was performed with compassion and caring towards a helpless creature that we all share this wonderful planet with.
ReplyDeleteIt was awesome. She says thanks to Ray D.
ReplyDeleteGood job Officer S. Has someone informed the landowner that his fence is in pieces - he wouldn't want his cattle straying ... But perhaps the officer fixed it before he left? Hope so!
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